Mpumalanga: The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, has urged African nations to invest significantly in science, technology, and innovation (STI) to drive continental development and self-sufficiency.
According to South African Government News Agency, Nzimande made the call while addressing the second meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG) and the G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB) in Mpumalanga. Nzimande highlighted Africa’s untapped potential, noting the continent’s minimal contribution to global research output and patents despite its substantial natural and human resources.
Nzimande emphasized that Africa, with 60% of the world’s arable land and the youngest population, contributes only 2% of global research output and 0.1% of global patents. He pointed out that many African governments provide minimal funding for innovation, research, and development. To address this, Nzimande called for the implementation of bold and innovative policies and initiatives to enhance the continent’s research capabilities.
The Minister underscored the importance of improving the quality of mathematics and science education at the foundational level across Africa. He advocated for increasing public and private funding in science, incentivizing private sector research, nurturing and retaining African talent, and building cutting-edge infrastructure.
Nzimande also discussed South Africa’s commitment to the African Union’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2030. This strategy prioritizes essential areas such as clean energy, food security, health, and water resources. South Africa is creating a national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and supporting key programs like the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and the Southern Africa Network for Biosciences.
The Minister highlighted the importance of reducing dependency on external funding and using science to guide policymaking across all sectors. With a focus on digital transformation and AI, he emphasized Africa’s potential to become a global leader in technology, leveraging its linguistic diversity and young population.
Nzimande stressed the need for African-led AI research, ensuring that African languages and cultures are represented in datasets to resist technological dependency. He expressed that AI holds the promise of revolutionizing youth-led small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs) across the continent.